The FCC is planning to test mobile broadband speeds across the entire US from September 21st, in order to provide consumers with detailed information and "spur competition among service providers."

The initiative follows on from its National Broadband Plan, which continues to gather detailed data on national fixed broadband speeds. The FCC claims that the initiative will equip the public with comparisons and analyses. to help us make better decisions.

In turn, the idea is to promote competition between service providers. While that might seem like good news if you're with Sprint, don't necessarily hold your breath: plenty of unofficial rankings of 3G and 4G speeds get published every year, and they seem to have little, if any, impact. [FCC via Verge]